Dukinfield  35, Marple 54

After the recent win at Northwich and the memory of the victory last time we played Dukinfield, the game started with great expectations and the team was soaring with confidence. (more…)

Northwich 28, Marple 73

On fhe first match back after a long period of inactivity owing to snow the lads played as if their lives depended on it. Forced through lack of numbers to play sevens, the lads played fantastically in a match that was as entertaining to watch as the score suggests. (more…)

After a convincing away win against Dukinfield last season, hopes were high for a repeat performance this season. With reduced numbers on both sides, it was a clearly improved opposition who arrived and gave the U12s a far more competitive match than the last time the teams met. With hugely vocal support from both sets of supporters and committed play from the two teams right up until the final whistle Marple U12s fought through for their first win of the season. (more…)

A later start this morning as we took advantage of the hotel’s leisure facilities and worked out the Go Ape! muscle soreness in the sauna and steam room. After breakfast and checking out we made our way to the nearby town of Painswick for our second match of the tour. (more…)

After our match at Cirencester, we got changed out of our formal attire and into our scuffs, prior to boarding the coach and driving to our afternoon activity at the Forest of Dean for an afternoon of climbing trees and swinging from ropes at Go Ape! (more…)

After a hearty breakfast the U12 team piled about the coach and set off for our first match of the tour with Cirencester. A fantastic autumn morning set the fantastic Gloucestershire countryside scenery off – can there be a more beautiful part of the country? (more…)

Meeting at Marple at 5:30pm for bacon sandwiches, a few goodies were dished out by George. Freshly equipped with tour polo shirts, the lads and dads posed for a few photos before climbing into one of Bullocks Coaches new vehicles. We left for our tour of Gloucester at 6pm. Luckily the weather was good and the traffic light and we made good time, arriving just before 9pm. (more…)

Macclesfield ‘B’ 25, Marple 0

Now that both football and rugby are played on Sunday mornings at this age group, this was the first outing for the U12 team since losing some of our most experienced players to “the opposition”. Whilst there were some real positives from the performance, we also saw how far we have to go to compete with a team whom we narrowly beat last season.

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Our final trip to this great festival of rugby. Luckily this year , everyone managed to arrive early. A squad of 17 , all looking forward to Lance’s BBQ and a days rugby. As is pretty much, always the case, the sun shone for the Matlock festival and a big plus this year, we all were fearing a days touch , but some overnight rain , meant it was to be contact.

Our 1st game was against Sheffield ( this years Winners ) 0-3, closer than the result suggests.

2nd game, against Mansfield, Alistair try giving us a 1-0 victory.

3rd game, against Chesterfield, Nick P try giving us a 1-0 victory.

4th game, against Harrogate A,last years winners, 0-2, this game was in the balance, until a late try.

5th game, against Leek, who scored on the final play, 0-1.

A great team effort, with the whole squad, all playing their part in some of the best rugby played this season, well done boys. The effort and togetherness , its just a shame that the season is drawing to a close. We have had a great weekend of rugby, with all the boys , playing their part in some superb games.

Squad, Nick I, James Y, Cameron, Joe, Sam, Nick P, Richard, Alistair, Jake,Tom W, Tom H, Haydn, James H, Zak, Edward, Scott, Bill.

POW, Edward, MOTW Scott.

We welcomed our Scottish visitors to Wood Lane on Saturday morning. A beutiful day, was complemented, by a very entertaining game of Rugby.

East Kilbride , who play to different continum in Scotland, deserve the utmost credit,for the way their lads adapted to our laws, so much so , that they opened the scoring from their first attack .0-7.  Would Marple crumble and let the opposition walk over them .

No , we have a different team to earlier in the season , now the boys are playing as a team.

Richard, went on a jinxing run for the equalising score ( con by Nick ) 7-7. Both teams played some excellent rugby for the rest of the half, both going for a try that would give them the lead at the break.

A penalty for Marple gave Nick , the opportunity to put in a great kick, for a 5m line-out. Great work by Zak and Eddie , saw Eddie take the ball and drive through for his 2nd try in 3 years , his teammates responded with the chant of ” Eddie, Eddie”.( Con by Nick ) H/T 14-7.

At the start of the second half, Richard got his 2nd and Marple’s 3rd try ( con by Nick ), 21-7 . Substitutions, were made by both teams, Alistair picked up the ball and with his usual unstopable run touched down in the corner ( con by Bryn ) 28-7.

Richard then went on another run from a ruck, for his hat-trick and our fifth try ( con by Bryn ) 35-7.

Then with the final play of the game East Kilbrides no 8 stole our lineout and drove over, for a richly deserved, try for himself and his team. F/T Marple 35- 14 East Kilbride.

Both teams were winners, East kilbride for adapting to our laws , we, as Clubs have made new friends and the spirit in which the game was played.

Both teams changed , enjoyed the buffet supplied by the parents ( Big thank-you to you all ) had a drink, before the captains exchanged gifts . We then thanked East Kilbride and wished them a safe journey onto Blackpool via Edgeley Park.

Squad, Nick I, James Y, Joe, Sam, Nick P, Tom W, Richard, Jake, Tom H, Haydn, James H, Zak, Edward, Cameron, Bill, Scott, Anthony, Jamie, Bryn and Lewis.

Try Scorers , Richard 3 , Edward, Alistair. Cons, Nick P 3, Bryn 2, H/T 14-7. F/t 35-14.